Rose Hall Great House, Jamaica

Apple Vacations sells more than 40 destinations, all with their own colorful legends and histories. Between the real pirates of the Caribbean, the mighty, but violent, legacies of the Aztec and Mayan Indians and the ancient stories of native Hawaiians, Apple Vacations’ portfolio is full of locations with mystical and/or spooky tales. Here, in no particular order, are some of the scariest things sold by Apple Vacations:

1. The Rose Hall Great House in Jamaica is a landmark Georgian mansion, high on a hill with sweeping views of the ocean. In the early 1800s, it was owned by Annie Palmer, whose four husbands died suspiciously. Additionally, Annie was a practitioner of voodoo and was called the White Witch. Today, Annie, who was killed in her bed in a slave uprising in the 1830s, haunts the Rose Hall Great House.

True story: Around 10 years ago, Apple Vacations hosted a fancy-schmancy dinner for travel agents at the Rose Hall Great House. Dinner was elegant, with white-gloved service and tuxedoed waitstaff. After dinner, the group was given a guided tour of the mansion, complete with detailed stories of the cold-blooded life of Annie Palmer. Apple Vacations Director of Sales Sally Favia was there that night. She said the tour guide was a hypnotizing storyteller, bringing them room to room where Annie’s husbands died and her lovers murdered. The house is old and creaky, and they could hear banging from empty parts of the Great House. But, Sally said the scariest part of the tour was outside on the grounds, where allegedly you can still see the blood of Annie Palmer’s last victim. “Bone-chilling” is how Sally described it, and she insists that after that night, she won’t return to the Rose Hall Great House under any circumstances.

Heading to Jamaica? Ask your Apple Representative about taking a tour of the Rose Hall Great House. Tours are offered both during the day and, gulp, after dark.

2. Once an ancient Mayan seaport, today Xcaret is a popular Riviera Maya attraction. It’s an eco-archeological park, welcoming visitors to swim in the underground river, view tropical birds, jungle cats and monkeys and explore the Mayan ruins throughout the property. At night, Xcaret hosts an impressive evening performance, chronicling the history of Mexico through costume and dance.

But before the night show starts is when it gets real. As you walk through the ruins, prior to stepping into the theater, costumed performers are stationed periodically to set the stage and lure you into the show. Dressed as Mayan warriors, stoically posing with fantastic headdresses, incense and weaponry, the performers goose-bumpingly take you back thousands of years, when the Mayans ruled the very ground you’re walking on.

Explore Xcaret for yourself – you can add your tour to your Apple Vacations reservation before you leave, or see your Apple rep at your Cancun/Riviera Maya hotel. 

3. Oahu Ghost Tours claims that Oahu is one of the most haunted islands in the world with activity equal to Savannah, Georgia or New Orleans. For more than 10 years, Oahu Ghost Tours has been scaring the pants off of its clients, and Apple Vacations offers you three tour options:

• Honolulu City Haunts Walking Tour: On this tour guests will visit several known haunted hotspots in Honolulu. This includes Iolani Palace, the State Capitol and China Town as well as downtown Honolulu. Guests are led by a storyteller who will relate the tales behind the spooky locations. Guests with cameras may be able to observe unexplained events at these sites.
• Orbs of Oahu Driving Tour: On the Orbs of Oahu driving tour, you’ll be witness to the creepy sites where many years ago, horrifying events took place. The events are over, but the haunts are just beginning. On this 4-hour tour, guests will be taken halfway around the island to visit the same spots that have been told in books and tales for hundreds of years, and that make the island of Oahu famous for being a supernatural hotspot in the Pacific.
• Sacred Spirits Driving Tour: These places are treated with much respect by the Hawaiians and from visitors alike.  The Native Hawaiians adamantly protect these sites.  On this excursion you will visit several of the most ancient and sacred spots in Hawaii.  You’ll learn about Menehune (the little people), as well as the feared Night Marchers.  You’ll visit the sites where Pele, the fire goddess visited

You can book your tour with Oahu Ghost Tours before you leave or after you arrive at your hotel. Call Amstar Hawaii, the office representative of Apple Vacations in Hawaii at 1-888-946-3930 to reserve your spot.

Tower of London

4. Known as the most haunted building in England, the Tower of London was a palace, a prison and a place of execution. With the ghosts of Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, Guy Fawkes, Sir Walter Raleigh and more, the Tower is a don’t-miss if you like spooky spots.

After booking your Apple Vacation to London, you can book a walking ghost tour of the Tower from a variety of companies or take a tour from an official Yeoman Warder.

5. While Nassau, Bahamas might be known for modern hotels and colorful casinos, you can learn all about its pirate history on the Historic Tour of Nassau City. In the 1700s, Nassau was a famous pirate hideout, and it’s said that Blackbeard himself haunts the Old Fort of Nassau.

See your Apple Representative at the hotel for information on these and other optional activities and excursions.

Did we miss any scary Apple Vacations destinations? Let us know in the comments below.